Toy airplane having retractable landing gear



July 28, 1959 w. A. PALENSKY 2,896,369

TOY AIRPLANE HAVING RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR Filed Nov. 13, 1956 /8 56 Fdw Lu. 2 6 52 50 8/ 32 2O o 26 4 LT] 5 IN VEN TOR.

W A. PALE/VERY United States Patent Ofifice 2,896,369 Patented July 28, 1959 TOY AIRPLANE HAVING RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR The present invention 'relates to improvements in toy aircraft and is particularly directed to .a novel landing gear assembly for a toy airplane.

A primary object of .the..present invention is to provide a retractable'landing gear for a toy or model airplane that will simulatethe [retractable landing gear of actual airplanes.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a manually actuatable landing gear assembly for a toy airplane, such -assemblyxbeing retractable by manually operable means located on the fuselage of the airplane and being spring urged into a lowered position.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a realistically appearing and operating landing gear assembly for a toy airplane.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensively constructed, compact and simply operated landing gear assembly for toy or model airplanes.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a toy airplane or the like aircraft, having parts broken away and others depicted in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of such airplane having parts broken away and others depicted in section, and illustrating the landing gear assembly of the present invention in the down position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the landing gear in a retracted position.

A novel feature which has been much desired in toy and model airplanes has been the provision of a retractable type landing gear which would give the toy or model a more realistic appearance and action, and yet not add substantially to the production cost of the toy or model.

The instant invention provides for toy or model airplanes the desirable features of a retractable type landing gear, which can be produced at a reasonable cost and which is simple in operation.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention oft-he device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity. wherein it may be found applicable.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral generally designates one form of toy or model airplane in which the landing gear asthe fuselage below the wings.

sembly 12 of this invention can be incorporated. The airplane 10 includes a fuselage 14 having wings l6 which are formed with engine nacellesand wheel housings 18.

The landing gear assembly 12 includes a nosewheel 20 rotatably mounted on the freelower end of a wheel strut 22 which is provided at its upper end with afixed cross shaft 24. The shaft 24 is rotata'bly journalled in spaced, confronting bearings 26 formed in the interior of the nose portion of the fuselage. By such means or other similar means the wheel strut 22 is rotatably mounted in the nose portion forrearward curvilinear movement from a lowered vertical position to a raised horizontal position. In the latter position, the strutand the wheel arehoused within the fuselage which ha'san open bottom or has a slot ni a closed-bottonrto accommodate the movement of the strut andwheelinto :a raised position.

The strut 22 is provided with a rearwardly projecting apertured ear 28 to which a forward end30 of anactuating arm 32 is pivotally attached. The arm 32 is positioned longitudinally within the fuselage and :the forward end 30 extends downwardly therefrom. The arm has an enlarged, laterally offset rearward end which hasa lateral finger-portion orbutton 34'which projects through a slot 36;in the fuselage adjacent the rear of the fuselage. The slot 36 which is of a width to receive the finger portion has a wider rearward portion 38 that communicates therewith and forms a locking shoulder 40 therewith, for a purpose to be described.

Adjacent its inner end, the arm is formed on its underside with vertical abutments 42 and 44 that are disposed in slightly spaced confronting relation along the axis of the arm.

An undercarriage wheel axle assembly 46 is provided and includes a center crank section 48, the 'bight portion 50 of which is fitted between the confronting faces of the abutments. The legs 52 of the offset or crank section, in the lowered position of the assembly 46 as shoWn in Fig. 2, extend rearwardly. Axles 54 extend laterally and downwardly from the ends of the legs and project through Wheels 56 are rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the axles and are positioned under the engine nacelles to be housed therein when in retracted positions.

Resilient means is provided for normally retaining the nose wheel and undercarriage wheels in a lowered position and includes a coiled spring 58 which extends axially in the fuselage and has its forward end anchored on a fixed lug 60 that extends inwardly from the side of the fuselage. The rear end of the coiled spring is anchored in an aperture 62 formed in the enlarged rearward end of the arm 32.

The spring retains the wheels in the lowered position shown in Fig. 2. To raise the wheels, the finger portion 34 is moved rearwardly in the slot 36 to move the arm 32 rearwardly against the urgement of the spring. As the arm moves rearwardly, the strut 22 is pulled rearwardly about its pivot and the nose wheel 20 is raised into the fuselage. At the same time, the abutments 42 and 44 carry the crank rearwardly and thereby elevate the wheels 56 forwardly and raise them into the engine nacelles, as shown in Fig. 3.

Thus, the lowering and raising action is very realistic and is easily accomplished. The wheels are locked in the raised or retracted positions by positioning the finger portion or tab 34 behind the shoulder 40. The shoulder 40 can be formed, as shown, or, if desired, the forward portion of the slot can be wider or of greater area to form the shoulder.

Thus, it can be seen that a more realistic toy or model airplane is provided, and is of an economical construction which should find a ready place on the market.

From the foregoing specification, it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish, and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the 1 market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention'relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and arrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What is claimed is:

In a toy or model airplane having a fuselage and a wing assembly provided with engine nacelles, a wheel assembly comprising a rotatable nose wheel, a strut carrying said wheel, means mounting the strut in the nose portion of the fuselage for rearward swinging movement from a lowered 'to a raised position nested within the fuselage, an operating arm axially disposed in the fuse- 25 lage and movable longitudinally therein, means connecting the strut to the operating arm so that rearward movement of the arm raises the strut and wheel, an undercarriage wheel assembly including a center crank section and outwardly extending, laterally projecting axles, wheels rotatably mounted on said axles, and adapted to be housed in the engine nacelles, means connecting the crank section to the operating arm so that rearward movement of the operating arm swings the axles and wheels forwardly and upwardly to position the wheels in the engine nacelles, spring means connected to the operating arm for normally urging it forwardly of the fuselage to maintain the nose wheel and undercarriage wheels in lowered positions, means for moving the operating arm rearwardly in the fuselage against the urgement of the spring means and locking means carried by the arm and the fuselage for locking the operating arm in its rearward position to hold the wheels in their raised positions, said crank section including rearwardly inclined legs from the lower ends of which the axles extend downwardly and laterally outwardly and said means connecting the crank section to the operating arm including a pair of abutments depending from the arm and disposed in spaced arrangement and alignment longitudinally of the arm and between which the bight portion of the crank section is fitted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,376,374 Miles May 22, 1945 2,520,323 Miles Aug. 29, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 955,255 France of 1949 

